Fascination
by hana-rae

The reason why my brother and I live separately from our parents is because they said there was more job opportunities in Konoha than in the rural area where we were living. Well, since Naruto got a job before me, I guess I'm just lacking such good luck. I sighed and stood up from the couch. I decided I could walk around Konoha until 9:00 PM, which is when Naruto comes home. As I closed the door of our apartment, I headed downstairs, and outside the building. I walked to downtown Konoha. It was my very first time going down there. First thing that caught my attention was the ice cream store. I walked down, and ordered a strawberry and vanilla cup of ice cream. I payed, and walked around the place while eating that really delicious cup of goodness.

Another thing that caught my attention was a music store. I got so excited I began to eat the ice cream really fast, and began choking infront of the store. I started to cough like crazy, and I felt some ice cream coming out of my nose. I stopped after a while, and someone shoved a handkerchief on my face.

"Hn," I heard someone grunt behind me. I turned around, and looked at the person who was kind enough to help me. My eyes widened, I stared at him, and stared at him, and... stared at him. Okay, I think I stared at him long enough for him to feel uncomfortable. He raised an eyebrow. He was so handsome, I couldn't stop staring at him. He looked like a Roman Sculpture.

"Uh-" I began, and looked down at the handkerchief, and decided to give it back to him. He looked at it, and back to me.

"You can keep it," he said, and then walked away.

His back, that back... I've seen it before. I stared into space, trying to remember where I've seen it. Then, it came to me. Park, beating myself up, witness. Ohhhh.

I began to walk inside the music store, and the first thing I saw was him. He glanced at me for a second, then looked back at the guitars in front of him. I started to look around, and then walked to the piano section. I sat down on a piano bench, and looked down at the piano. I cracked my knuckles, and bagan to play Schubert Piano Sonata No. 16 in A minor.

- Normal POV -

Sasuke Uchiha looked up from the violins, just to hear one of his favorite pieces of all time. He found the piece to be played in a perfect rhythm. He walked towards the piano section of the store just to find the pink haired girl from this morning and 10 minutes ago playing the piece in such a magnificient way.

She felt like someone had her eyes on her. So, she eventually stopped playing. She looked up to see the guy from before just 6 feet in front of her.

"Why did you stop?" he asked. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Eh?" she asked.
"Schubert Piano Sonata No. 16 in A minor, you weren't half way done with the piece, why did you stop?" he asked.

- Sakura POV -

"Uhh," I said, I didn't really expect him to listen, but it seems like he really liked it. Maybe I should play the rest for him...?
"Nevermind," he then said, and began to walk away.
"Matte!" I yelled, and I stood up from the piano bench, and as I was trying to run towards him, I somehow tripped and fell.
I heard him turn towards me, and I looked up at him.
"Are you always this clumsy, or just stupid?" he asked.
I tilted my head to the right and put one of my fingers on my lips and one under my elbow, I showed him my thinking pose.
"Let's see, if I was clumsy, I would've fallen down the stairs a long time ago and probably be dead by now. And, if I was stupid, I wouldn't be able to talk with you right now, or be able play the piano like I did less than 2 minutes ago," I finished, "maybe I should look up the definition of them both...?"
He looked at me like I was an alien.
"I'm not sure," I told him.

He gave me a really funny look, and then walked away.

...

"Eh? Did I say something I wasn't supposed to say?"

- Sasuke POV -

Is that girl an idiot? Maybe she's crazy. But, the way she played Schubert's piece was perfect. I never heard anybody play that piece so perfectly, not even in college.

I kept walking my way down to my apartment. And, I heard footsteps behind me, and some... singing?

I looked behind me just to find the pink haired freak from before. She was dancing like some retard with her eyes closed. Was she following me? I kept walking fast, and tried to find a place dark enough to turn and hide from her. I found an alley, perfect. I glanced back at her, and she still had her eyes closed. Is she screwing around with me? I turned fast enough before she opened her eyes, and tried to camouflage with the darkness. Thank god for dark clothing. She was skipping her way past me like a little girl. I tried to walk towards my apartment, but I noticed she was walking the same path I had to walk through.

Oh no,
She knows where I live.

"Relax, Sasuke. There's a possibility her apartment is just really close to yours," I told myself. I sighed, and started slapping my cheeks in fast motion. Then, I realized what I was doing, and looked down at both my hands.

"What am I doing?" I asked myself.

She suddenly stopped. I looked at her back.

Oh no,
Maybe she noticed I wasn't walking in front of her anymore.

I looked around. A bush!
Perfect.

I ran towards the bush before she turned around, and jumped behind it.
I peeked from the side of the bush, at least a little.
She had turned around and kept walking, I sighed in relief.
"Saaaaaafe," I said lowly, and extended my elbows to my sides and then extended my arms fully to the side. Like those signals baseball playes do when the runner entitled to the base he is trying for.

So... even walking behind her is dangerous.

Suddenly a guy with blonde hair came running to Sakura and hugged her. So, that's her boyfriend? He was really loud, and he looks so freaking bright. I wouldn't get along well with him. Hn. Why should I care?

Wait a second, why am I still hiding?

I started to crawl my way out of the bush, trying my best not to be noticed. After five minutes, I was out of reach from her and kept walking to my apartment.

I reached inside my pocket for the key, and once I got the hang of it, I had already arrived in front of my door. I looked to my left, just to find out I had new neighbors. I sighed and went inside my apartment. I turned on the lights and looked around.

It was silent. It was always silent.

"Maybe I should get myself a pet," I said, and went to take a shower.

- Sakura POV -

"How was your job today, Naruto?" I asked him, while grinning.

"It was a little bit tiring, but it was also amazing! Better than what I expected!" he smiled.
"Yokata," I said, "Oi, today was your first day in! You shouldn't be tired already!"
"I just need to get used to it," he smiled.
The ramen arrived, and Naruto didn't think twice before digging in, I stared at him and smiled.

"This is the one and last time I'm going to treat you, so you better eat to your heart's content, and until you grow tired of eating Ramen," I told him.
I heard him chuckle.
"As if it will ever happen," I mumbled to myself.
"What happens if you get a girlfriend who won't be able to afford your 7 bowls of Ramen at Ichiraku? Huh? You never thought of that?" I rubbed both sides of his head with my fists.
"Itai, itai, itai~" he cried.
"Now that you have a job, you will now feed yourself! You are no longer my dog, I am no longer feeding you," I said darkly, with a evil grin.
"You're so scary, Sakura-chan," Naruto whimpered.
After he finished his 4th bowl, he glanced at me.
"You're not eating?" he asked, and I shook my head.
"I'm not hungry for Ramen," I said.

After he finished eating, I payed for his meal and we headed out.
"Naruto, I'm going to the mini supermarket near the apartment, you can go ahead and head back to the apartment," I told him.
"Eh? But, Sakura-chan, it's late at night! What if a rapist gets you?" he started to freak out.
"No worries, I can defend myself with my Judo skills!" I told him while raising my right fist in the air.
"What Judo skills?" he asked. I sighed.
"Oh forget it! Just go already!" I yelled at him while pushing him.

- Normal POV -

Sakura walked to the mini supermarket, and started singing and dancing a little. She arrived to the store, she was really hungry. Since she knew her brother ate a lot, she decided to spend little money on something she would eat, which can be way better than Ramen. She went to look for it, and once she found what she was looking for, she turned around just to find a familiar figure walking in.

Once again, she couldn't stop staring at him.